Pushkar is laid-back, spiritual and easy to love: ghats around the lake, rooftop cafés and desert hills to walk up for sunrise. The camel fair (October or November, set by the lunar calendar) turns it into a spectacle.
Highlights
- Pushkar Lake ghats at sunrise and evening aarti
- Brahma Temple
- Savitri Temple hike for sunrise views
- The Pushkar Camel Fair (Oct/Nov)
What to eat
- Malpua
- Falafel and cafés (a backpacker favourite)
- Vegetarian thalis: the town is strictly vegetarian
Where to stay
Guesthouses near the lake or quieter stays on the edge of town.
Getting there
About 3 hours by road from Jaipur; nearest railway station is Ajmer, 30 minutes away.
Tips
- Pushkar is vegetarian and alcohol-free: respect local customs.
- Politely decline “priests” offering flower blessings at the ghats for money.
- Remove shoes near the ghats and don’t photograph bathers.
Best time to visit
Oct-Mar. See what else is good in October and our best time to visit India guide.
Temples and shrines near Pushkar
- Brahma Temple, Pushkar Lord Brahma, the creator
- Ajmer Sharif Dargah Shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
Places to see in and around Pushkar
12 places within 40 km. Tap I’ve been to add them to your India passport.
- Pushkar Lake Lake, 1 km
- Ajmer Sharif Dargah Mosque, 9 km
- Brahma Temple Temple, 0 km
- Ana Sagar Lake Lake, 8 km
- Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra Mosque, 8 km
- Taragarh Fort Fort, 9 km
- Badshahi Haveli Palace, 9 km
- Lake Foy Sagar Lake, 6 km
- Ajmer Jain Temple Temple, 10 km
- Akbar's Fort Fort, 9 km
- Delhi Gate Monument, 8 km
- Nareli Jain Temple Temple, 16 km
Food to try in and around Pushkar
Rajasthan favourites to look out for.
- Dal baati churma
- Laal maas
- Ghevar
- Gatte
- Panchkuta
- Mirchi bada
- Pyaaz kachori
- Bikaneri bhujia
- Safed maas
- Rabdi
- Bikaneri Bhujia GI: speciality
The full food passport, state by state.
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